South Africa Archives - Africa Geographic

A different safari – photographic hides

Fantastic images from a day in the photographic hides of Indlovu River Lodge in Karongwe Private Game Reserve near the town of Hoedspruit

“Living dead” – elephants in Kruger NP are sterilizing palm trees, says research

Elephants feeding on fan palm trees are preventing the palms from reaching full size & reproductive potential in Kruger NP, says new study

COVID-19 safari during lockdown: we test-drive

What will a Covid-19 safari be like under South Africa’s levels 2 & 3 lockdown? We test-drive a lockdown safari in Timbavati, Greater Kruger

Meet the lion coalitions & prides of the Greater Kruger

Meet the famous Mapogos and other celebrity lion coalitions of the Greater Kruger – the warriors, the courageous and the notorious.

Baboon kidnaps lion cub

A baboon kidnapped a tiny lion cub in the Kruger National Park, and was seen grooming the dying cub in a large tree

The ‘Greater Kruger’ refers to 344,000 hectares (860,000 acres) of protected land to the west of Kruger National Park that provides a larger area for wildlife to roam freely. This additional land is owned by private and local community property owners.

Adventure travel: Hiking in the Drakensberg

The Drakensberg, known in Zulu as ‘Ukuhlamba‘ – the ‘Barrier of Spears’ – is South Africa’s highest mountain range and should be on every hiker’s to-do list.

Experience an art safari in the Big 5 Greater Kruger

Join professional artist Alison Nicholls on a special Big 5 art safari in the Greater Kruger.

Klaserie Capers

He emerged silently from the gloom and ambled towards us with that gentle rocking gait that big bull elephants use to cover vast distances with minimal effort. His white tusks glowed in the moonshine, but otherwise, he was just a huge dark grey smudge that loomed larger by the second. The eight of us sat […]

St. Lucia – a unique town where hippos roam the streets

The town of St. Lucia is one of those hidden little gems with unique opportunities to experience nature in all its magnificence.

Snake versus gecko: A classic predator-prey encounter

Incredible sighting as a dwarf beaked snake and a barking gecko cross paths in the Kalahari desert in a classic predator-prey encounter.

Whale watching at its best along the St. Lucia Coast

Whale watching season is in full swing and here we take a closer look at St. Lucia in KwaZulu-Natal – one of the best places to spot migrating whales and their young.

Walking Safari in the Greater Kruger

This walking safari got off to a rollicking start. The previous day I met up with my UK-based Africa Geographic colleague and long-time friend Christian Boix, two safari first-timers and our trail guides Hanri and AD and spent our first night in the mobile camp deep in the Greater Kruger. The husband and wife first-timers […]

Watch: African wildcat kitten in my garden

Cuteness alert! Our CEO finds a tiny African wildcat kitten in his garden near the Greater Kruger, notices signs of possible inbreeding with domestic cats.

Video: Bucket the tiny lion cub is still going strong!

Good news: The tiny lion cub named Bucket that left her mother at the tender age of five weeks to follow the pride males, and endured 10 days with no mother’s milk before rejoining her mom, is alive and well.

Travel: May safari in Africa

Interested in going on an African safari in May? Then have a look at our recommendations for the best wildlife-viewing destinations for that month.

Observing wildlife through camera traps

Camera traps, if thoughtfully used, are a wonderful way to unobtrusively observe what is happening in the world around us.

Travel: April safari in Africa

Interested in going on an African safari in April? Then have a look at our recommendations for the best wildlife-viewing destinations for that month.

There’s a bat in my bedroom!

A nature conservation student shares her first impressions after a few weeks at the Karoo Lodge Conservancy, located in the Karoo in South Africa.

Cheetahs: populations, threats and conservation

Learn more about cheetahs and their current population status and the threats they face.

Graphic content: Lion attacks injured hyena

A dramatic sighting as a lion brutally attacks an already injured spotted hyena in the Kgalagadi.

Samara – Rewilding the Great Karoo

It was late in the evening when we sat down for a beautifully prepared three-course dinner at the impeccably decorated Manor House in Samara – a private game reserve located near Graaff-Reinet in the Great Karoo. The main topic making the rounds was about the much-anticipated lion release, which took place earlier in the day. […]

Photos: Fantastic sightings from the Greater Kruger

A stunning selection of photos of the latest sightings from Tanda Tula in the Greater Kruger.

Video: “The Great Escape” – wildebeest outruns lion pride

An epic sighting for safari goers as a pride of lions attempt to take a wildebeest down in the Kruger National Park.

Video: Elephants go mad for marulas in our garden

“Elephants love marula fruit. I have seen them rush to a tree with a lot of fallen fruit the same way they would hurry to a waterhole when they are thirsty. We happen to have two marula trees in our garden that drop a lot of fruit.. too much for an elephant to resist!”

Travel: March safari in Africa

Interested in going on an African safari in March? Then have a look at our recommendations for the best wildlife-viewing destinations for that month.

Photoseries: Leopard family makes a splash

Magic happens while on safari when a leopard mother leads her two cubs across two flowing channels of the Sand River to the other side.

Travel: February safari in Africa

Interested in going on an African safari in February? Then have a look at our recommendations for the best wildlife-viewing destinations for that month.

Nose-to-nose with one big cat!

A photographer and her husband receive a surprise up-close encounter with a young male lion in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

Penguins: What’s being done and how you can help

Cape Town is synonymous with many things, like Table Mountain, picturesque landscapes, beautiful beaches, and of course our iconic African penguin.

Travel: January safari in Africa

Interested in going on an African safari in January? Then have a look at our recommendations for the best wildlife-viewing destinations for that month.

Big news as Kruger National Park 10-year management plan approved by Minister

South Africa’s Acting Minister of Environmental Affairs Derek Hanekom has officially approved the ground-breaking and visionary 10-year Kruger National Park Management Plan.

New citrus farm on Kruger border – have your say

A citrus farming enterprise has purchased a small but ecologically pivotal farm on the border of the Klaserie and Timbavati private nature reserves (Greater Kruger) near the town of Hoedspruit, and plans to develop a citrus orchard in this vital game reserve area.

10 Meerkat facts you need to know

Tswalu Kalahari’s small carnivores offer perhaps the most special and unique sightings – and the meerkat viewing is fantastic! Here are 10 interesting facts about these fascinating little creatures.

Update: The wandering N4 highway Kruger lion

Remember the lion that was found wandering on the N4 highway this past September? Here’s an update on his latest whereabouts.

Kruger Glamping

Glamorous camping (glamping) should be an authentic way of enjoying what safari used to be all about. But not too authentic, right? I mean you don’t want to have to catch your dinner or dig a pit latrine. Sure, do away with the permanent lodge structures, but I still want to feel safe and comfortable. […]

Bush tales: The story of the painted wolves of Balule

‘Painted wolves’, ‘Cape hunting dogs’ or ‘wild dogs’. No matter what you call them, one thing is certain: they are one of the most enigmatic and charismatic animals on the African continent.

Leopard’s hard-earned meal grabbed by the competition

A leopard’s hard-earned meal is spotted by a lioness and her cubs, who quickly take advantage of the situation.

Global petroleum company brings fracking threat to Drakensberg

An international petroleum exploration company has fired up a fresh application to explore for products in prime farmland in the central Drakensberg and Free State.

Travel: December safari in Africa

Interested in going on an African safari in December? Then have a look at our recommendations for the best wildlife-viewing destinations for that month.

What a catch! Leopard catches water monitor

A leopard takes a dive and goes fishing for lunch in Pilanesberg National Park in South Africa.

Incredible encounter: Mongoose versus snake

A yellow mongoose and a mole snake provide a great sighting as they face off in the Kgalagadi.

Cape foxes defend kits from honey badger

An incredible sighting as a Cape fox family deals with an unwanted guest in the form of a honey badger looking for a meal.

The feisty and courageous mole-rat

Feisty and courageous, with a hint of cuteness to top it off, is the perfect description of this little burrowing rodent.

The prettiest pigeons in Africa

With their bright green plumage, the African green pigeon is undoubtedly the peacock of the pigeon species.

Adorably naughty leopard cubs

A leopard mother has her paws full as her two adorably naughty cubs prefer to explore the bush rather than hide away in their den.

Magnificent and mesmerising Madikwe!

Explore the Big 5, malaria-free Madikwe Game Reserve in South Africa while on a photographic safari with professional photographer, Matrishva Vyas.

Winter wildlife highlights in the Karoo

During the long winter months in the Karoo, it is always a thrill to see nocturnal animals out and about in the daylight hours foraging.

Kruger’s roaming lions

“Never a dull moment in the bush” is something my husband and I tell each other all the time. Well, that is certainly true for the events of a few weekends ago when a male lion got out of our stunning Kruger National Park!

Kruger 10-year management plan

SANParks has released its Kruger National Park management plan covering the next 10 years. This 259-page report is essential reading for Kruger fans who enjoy debating the issues that the Kruger management team has to deal with on a regular basis, such as problem-animal management, hotels in Kruger and trophy hunting of free-roaming wildlife on reserves adjoining Kruger.

Following in the footsteps of giants, a unique Kruger experience

Discovering stunning spots in the Kruger National Park where no tourist has ever been, becoming part of the food chain for a week by sharing the living space of elephants, hippos, buffaloes and lions, testing your feet, legs and stamina with a 100+ kilometre walking expedition; the newly developed north-to-south Kruger Trail is the stuff that the dreams of adventurous nature lovers are made of.

Tracking with the Ju/’Hoansi Master Trackers in Kruger

The last three Master Trackers of the Ju/’hoanis from Nyae Nyae in Namibia were invited to the Kruger in South Africa to participate in some pioneering trails. They came to display their extraordinary tracking prowess to guests participating in walking trails. This is an account of their journey.